Thursday, March 24, 2011

Presidents ask for local control on tuition; Senate passed higher education bill

Yesterday at the Capitol

The Senate Higher Education committee met yesterday afternoon and into the evening to mark-up the higher education omnibus bill. Presidents Edna Szymanski of Minnesota State University Moorhead and Larry Litecky of Century College requested the support of committee members for local control of tuition. The Senate higher education bill caps tuition increases for the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system's four-year institutions at 4 percent and for the two-year institutions at 3 percent. This is a slight change from the House higher education bill that caps the state universities at 4 percent and the two-year colleges at 2 percent. President Litecky said that honoring the local control of tuition-setting is a concern for all the colleges and universities in the system. Litecky said the result of tuition caps and the cut in the bill could mean fewer class offerings for students. Sen. Ron Latz, DFL-St. Louis Park, said that cuts to the system today will cost students and the state additional money in the long run, because students will not be able to get the classes they need and therefore will not be able to graduate on time.

In addition to the tuition caps in the bill, the bill cuts the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system $167 million over the biennium from the fiscal year 2012-2013 forecasted base. For comparison purposes, the governor recommended a cut of $75.6 million over the biennium from the 2012-13 forecasted base, and the House bill cuts $201 million from the same base. The Senate bill brings the system's annual base down to $546.8 million, the House bill reduces the system's base to $529.8 million, and the governor's recommendation brings the system's base to $592 million. If you have any questions about the numbers, feel free to call.

The Senate bill also specifies that if there are any salary savings to the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system caused by legislation that limits, reduces, or eliminates salary increases in any other bill, that savings is to be used to mitigate tuition increases or allocated to institutions under the Board of Trustees allocation model.

The Senate bill also includes the provision on senior citizen tuition age, as does the House bill. The language reduces the age of a senior citizen in statute to be eligible to receive reduced tuition back to age 62 from 66 (the statute was changed in 2010 from 62 to 66). Also similar to the House bill, the Senate bill sets a statutory amount for the tuition and fee maximum used to calculate the state grant award to the highest tuition and fees charged by a Minnesota public college for two-year programs, and the highest average tuition and fees charged by a Minnesota public university for four-year universities. The bill also sets the living and miscellaneous expense allowance, or LME, at $7,000 each year.

After a few amendments, none that affect the system, committee members passed the bill as amended, by a vote of 7-6. The bill heads next to the Finance committee today after session. Session begins at 11:00, so it is anticipated the hearing will start around noon. In the House, the higher education omnibus bill will also be heard today in the Ways and Means committee. Ways and Means is scheduled to meet after session to the call of the chair.

Today at the Capitol

8:15 AM
House State Government Finance
Room: 200 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Morrie Lanning
Agenda: Mark-up of omnibus bill

11:00 AM
Senate in Session

15 minutes after session
Senate Finance
Room: 123 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Claire A. Robling
Agenda:
S.F. 887-Michel: Jobs, economic development and housing appropriations.
S.F. 924-Fischbach: Higher education appropriations and office of higher education cost of attendance recognition modification.

12:00 PM
House in Session

12:30 PM
House Jobs and Economic Development Finance
Room: 10 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Bob Gunther
Agenda: HF1049 (Gunther) Jobs, economic development, and housing funding provided, and money appropriated

After session at the call of the chair
House Ways and Means
Room: 200 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Mary Liz Holberg
Agenda: Budget Resolution Amendment
HF934: Education Omnibus Bill
HF1101: Higher Education Omnibus Bill
HF1010: Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Omnibus Bill

6:00 PM
Senate State Government Innovation and Veterans
Room: 112 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Mike Parry
Agenda: Discussion of the State Government Finance Omnibus bill

Looking Ahead

Friday, March 25


9:00 AM
Senate in Session

10:00 AM
Senate Finance
Room: 123 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Claire A. Robling
Agenda: TBA

10:30 AM
Senate Capital Investment
Room 112 Capitol
Chair: Sen. David H. Senjem
Agenda:
S.F. 986-Senjem: Bond sale authorization cancellation and appropriation reduction; state debt refunding requirement.

Monday, March 28

15 minutes after session
Senate Finance
Room: 123 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Claire A. Robling
Agenda: To be announced.

Tuesday, March 29

15 minutes after session
Senate Finance
Room: 123 Capitol
Chair: Sen. Claire A. Robling
Agenda: To be announced.

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